Some people believe the Carolina Panthers are in a rebuild under new head coach Matt Rhule, but Russell Okung doesn't share that view about his new team. In his first conference call with the media, Okung made telling comments about the state of the Panthers.

“I made it really clear, I'm not here to just rebuild,” Okung said Tuesday during his first news conference since the early March trade that sent Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner to the Los Angeles Chargers. “I'm here to win, and win right now.

Earlier this offseason, Okung was traded by the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for Trai Turner. Upon his arrival in Carolina, Okung made it clear that he didn't join the Panthers to be part of a rebuild.

However, all signs point toward the Panthers being part of a complete overhaul. First and foremost, they've hired Rhule to replace Ron Rivera after back-to-back losing seasons. In addition, they've signed Teddy Bridgewater to replace Cam Newton, who they released in free agency.

Besides Newton, Carolina also released Greg Olsen and Luke Kuechly shockingly retired after the 2019 season concluded. Taking all of that into account, the Panthers are going to look a bit differently in 2020.

After a season where he started in just six games, Okung is prepared to be a difference-maker for the Panthers. The veteran offensive tackle believes that Carolina has loads of talent on both sides of the ball. Despite what the media and fans believe, Okung thinks the Panthers are going to turn some heads in 2020.

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